Sidelined Greenwood senior still has hopes to play

Published 5:21 pm, Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Greenwood's Jody Lively stands by on the sidelines as he watches his teammates at practice Wednesday afternoon. Tim Fischer/Reporter-Telegram

Greenwood's Jody Lively stands by on the sidelines as he watches his teammates at practice Wednesday afternoon. Tim Fischer/Reporter-Telegram

Photo: Tim Fischer

Sidelined Greenwood senior still has hopes to play

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Jody Lively has yet to be cleared to play football this season for the Greenwood football team, but that hasn't stopped him from going to practice each day to be there for his teammates.

Even though Lively can't practice with his teammates, he still wears a T-shirt, shorts and a helmet while standing on the sideline. Nothing is going to stop him from being part of this year's team.

And when the Rangers open up their 2012 season tonight against Kermit in the ASCO Football Madness at Grande Communications Stadium, Lively will be there with his teammates and as one of the recent voted captains -- a tremendous sign of respect for the senior.

"It's been really tough watching, and it's truly stressing watching everyone do good stuff," Lively said. "But I still want to be around them."

Added Greenwood coach Shad Hanna, "He's still going to be part of our football team."

During the summer, Lively was told by his doctor that he had a low platelet count in the blood -- or in medical terms, thrombocytopenia. Having a low platelet count can easily cause bruising or a blood clot. When he was diagnosed, the doctor told him that he couldn't have any contact until that platelet count was back up to normal levels, which is anywhere from 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter of circulating blood, according to the Mayo Clinic.

"I didn't think it would hold me back," Lively said about the initial diagnosis at the beginning of the summer. "I found out I had to sit out around July 18. But it didn't really hit me until the first day of two-a-days. That's when I was truly devastated."

Lively, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound senior, was a standout on both lines for the Rangers during the 2011 season in which Greenwood returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence and made it two rounds deep. Lively figured to be one of those key components coming back, but unless his platelet count stays at a consistent normal level, the Rangers are going to need other players step up.

"What you always find out through an injury, you always have somebody that can step in and do it," Hanna said. "Somebody is always willing to take that challenge and give their very best, and because of pride, you don't end up missing a beat. Last year in the Fort Stockton game, we were without our starting right guard because of a concussion. We moved a JV kid up, and he does a fantastic job. Usually through an injury you find a diamond in the rough. Usually if those kids love each other and believe in each other, they step right in and fill those roles."

Senior center Blain Latham said the Rangers will just have to find a way to play without Lively if he doesn't return.

"We would love have him back but I think we can handle it as long as he's not here," Latham said. "We've got some guys who have really stepped up. It would be great if we could get him feeling better, but I think we can handle it."

The Rangers are hopeful they will have one of their senior leaders back before the end of the season.

"Jody was a big part of last season, and it could only help us if he comes back this year," said junior wide receiver and defensive back Anthony Salas. "Hopefully we'll get him back by the next game, and we're looking forward to seeing him with some pads on."

During a recent doctor's appointment Lively said his platelet count went from around 40,000 to 117,000 thanks to treatments that includes corticosteroids. His next doctor's appointment is next week, and Lively is hoping for some good news.

"If they stay up, I think I'm going to get to play," he said.

Whatever happens, Hanna said Lively's condition should serve as an example for his players not to take playing football for granted.

"One of the things we've talked about is that you never know when your last game is going to be, when your last play is going to be, when your last down is going to be," Hanna said. "So you better play every down like it's your last."

Lively is confident he hasn't played his last down for the Rangers, especially after being named as a captain.

"It means a lot to me," he said. "I've always wanted to be a captain for my team. Hopefully I can lead by example before the year is over."

Oscar LeRoy can be reached at oleroy@mrt.com

Follow Oscar on Twitter: @OLeRoy_MRT

RANGERS NOTEBOOK

GREENWOOD VS. KERMIT

When/where: 8 p.m., Grande Communications Stadium

2011 Records: Greenwood 7-5, Kermit 5-5

Last meeting/series: Greenwood leads the all-time series 12-5, has a five-game winning streak against the Yellow Jackets with the last victory coming in 2001, 45-6

Weather forecast: Sunny with a high of 92 with light and variable wind, getting down to a low of 70 overnight.

Notes

-- Once again, Greenwood kicks off its football season with a game on the opening night of the ASCO Football Madness at Grande Communications Stadium. This is the fifth straight year Greenwood opens up at Grande and the Rangers have not lost in the previous four trips into the city.

"The Grande game is really exciting for us," Greenwood coach Shad Hanna said. "It's a playoff atmosphere and we get to play in a big stadium. It's kind of a neat way to start off the year playing in a place like that, so we're real excited about it."

-- The Rangers, a Class 3A team, come in with high expectations after reaching the area round of the Class 3A Division II playoffs and return eight starters on offense and six on defense.

The top returner is QB Kam Williams (6-3, 200, Sr.), who enters his second consecutive season as the starter in Hanna's spread offense. Williams passed for almost 1,900 yards with 18 touchdowns to go with 1,004 yards rushing and 14 TDs. His top go-to receiver Collin Sullivan (5-10, 170, Sr.) is also returning after catching 49 passes for 549 yards and seven TDs. The top returning tackler is DT Julian Garcia (5-11, 205, Sr.), who racked up 96 stops and one sack.

-- Kermit, which is a Class 2A Division I program, just missed out on the playoffs last year and the Yellow Jackets return four starters on each side of the ball.

-- The Yellow Jackets run a flexbone offense and Hanna said that can be tough to defend at times.

"It could create some problems for us but our kids have worked hard to be disciplined football players," Hanna said. "I think they're young at spots but I think they're a pretty good football team and they'll continue to get better. We better come prepared and ready to play. This is big game for them and they've got something to prove, too."

-- Austin Williamson (Sr.) is expected to be the starting QB for the Yellow Jackets, while Jacob Carrasco (Jr.) and Xavier Quiroz (Jr.) are expected to be the main ball carriers.

-- Former Lee High School basketball standout Drew Coffman will make a return to Midland as an assistant coach with the Yellow Jackets. Coffman is the head boys basketball coach at Kermit.